Never judging books by their cover

Peyton, Sydney’s charismatic older brother, has always been the star of the family, receiving the lion’s share of their parents’ attention and – lately – concern. When Peyton’s increasingly reckless behavior culminates in an accident, a drunk driving conviction, and a jail sentence, Sydney is cast adrift, searching for her place in the family and the world. When everyone else is so worried about Peyton, is she the only one concerned about the victim of the accident? Enter the Chathams, a warm, chaotic family who run a pizza parlor, play bluegrass on weekends and pitch in to care for their mother, who has multiple sclerosis. Here Sydney experiences unquestioning acceptance. And here she meets Mac: gentle, watchful, and protective, who makes Sydney feel seen, really seen, for the first time.

I’ve been a fan of Sarah Dessen for years, when I was younger I used to curl up with her books enjoying her warmhearted tales of young adult love and drama.

When I received a copy of ‘Saint Anything’, I was delighted to take a trip down nostalgia lane and enjoy stories of less complicated and dark lives. In this story we meet Sydney, a teenage girl, who lives in her older brother’s shadow. Ever since, he paralysed a boy in a drink driving incident, Sydney has had to live with his guilt as well as fade into the background as their mother focuses her time and attention on bringing Peyton to rights even though he is in jail for the crime.

For a quiet life, Sydney is transferred to another school, away from the prying eyes and curious looks and it’s in this new school that Sydney makes new friends with the outspoken and fun Layla. Layla takes Sydney under her wing and helps her adjust to her new life and introduces Sydney to her chaotic family and handsome older brother, Mac. A quiet and gentle soul that Sydney finds herself drawn to.

The story flows at a gentle pace we see Sydney come of her shelf and begin to live her life, after years of being a wallflower. She begins to speak up for her beliefs and begin to voice her announce, which is a joy to read.

A tender and poignant tale that tackles issues that all teenagers have to go through such as self confidence and self doubt, this book was beautifully written with a relatable tone that all young adults can relate to.

A story of first love and new beginnings, ‘Saint Anything’ is a charming and sweet story about starting over and sometimes just believing in anything is enough to get you through the day.